Amid the extremely volatile world situation, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the organization representing Japanese atomic bomb victims, sparking renewed global attention to nuclear weapons and human peace issues. Survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan stated that now is the time to transition from praying for peace to actively creating peace.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war escalating for two years, conflicts in the Middle East intensifying, tensions rising in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and Korean Peninsula, with Russia and North Korea openly declaring not giving up the use of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, China intensifying its nuclear weapons development and strengthening cooperation with countries like Russia poses a significant threat to regional and global security and peace. People are increasingly concerned that a third world war may erupt, even involving the use of devastating nuclear weapons.
On October 11, the Nobel Peace Prize for this year was announced, awarded to the “Japanese Atomic Bomb Victims Relief Association.” The Norwegian Nobel Committee recognized the organization’s efforts in promoting a nuclear-free world through survivors’ testimonies, reminding people of the crucial need to never use nuclear weapons again. Jorgen Watne Frydnes, the Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, warned nuclear-armed countries against using nuclear weapons, stating that a nuclear war could destroy our civilization.
This award marks the second Nobel Peace Prize for Japan since former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, who signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1974 and was honored for his contributions to peace.
The “Japanese Atomic Bomb Hydrogen Bomb Victims Association” was established in 1956 to narrate the experiences of survivors from 79 years ago and advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons to uphold human peace.
Prime Minister Shizo Abe expressed that “awarding those who have long been committed to nuclear disarmament carries significant meaning,” while former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed genuine joy on social media, emphasizing the mission of working towards a nuclear-free world as the only nation to have faced a nuclear explosion.
On October 13, US President Biden congratulated the Japanese award-winning organization through a statement, praising them for their historical work in ensuring the permanent cessation of nuclear weapons.
He emphasized the continued effort needed until the day when all nuclear weapons in the world are permanently eliminated. Reflecting on his visit to Hiroshima in May last year, he urged the world to progress towards the day of permanently abolishing nuclear weapons.
Biden also mentioned readiness to engage in discussions with Russia, China, and North Korea on reducing nuclear threats without preconditions.
Hiroe Sato, the Chairman of the Japan-specific non-profit organization “HPS International Public Welfare Organization” and a survivor of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings at the age of 86, shared her experience in an interview with a reporter, detailing her harrowing ordeal.
Sato was born in Hiroshima in May 1938 and was only 7 years old when Hiroshima was devastated by the atomic bomb while in first grade. She recounted the chaos and devastation following the atomic bombing, the search for her missing brother in the ruins, and the challenges of survival without water in the scorching summer heat.
To convey her experiences to future generations and the world, she founded the HPS International Public Welfare Organization in 2005, aiming to transform Hiroshima into a hub of world peace and send out messages of peace starting from there.
Through various activities, lectures, publications like memoirs, poems, and artwork, and donations to schools and libraries, Sato has dedicated almost all of her pension to public welfare causes.
While more people become aware of the atomic bombings, their focus now shifts from praying for peace to actively working towards creating peace.
In 1993, Senji Yamaguchi, a Japanese atomic bomb victim, made his plea at the United Nations, urging for no more victims; in 2016, then-US President Obama visited Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park; in 2017, the UN adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, though nuclear-armed countries and Japan did not join; in 2023, the Hiroshima G7 Summit brought world leaders to visit the atomic bombing museum and sign the guestbook.
Currently, the situation regarding nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation is severe, with the pace of reducing nuclear weapons slowing down while threats of using nuclear weapons are on the rise. Despite Japan’s advocacy for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, international realities have necessitated Japan to remain under the US nuclear umbrella.
Given Japan’s historical background and the international environment, some politicians within Japan have advocated for the country to possess nuclear weapons to enhance deterrence capabilities.
Prior to running for the Liberal Democratic Party leadership, Shizo Abe had proposed in a Hudson Institute publication that Russia and North Korea had formed a military alliance with the transfer of nuclear technology from Russia to North Korea, strengthening its nuclear and missile capabilities. He called for the establishment of an Asian version of NATO to deter the nuclear alliance of China, Russia, and North Korea.
Within the framework of the Asian version of NATO, discussions on the US nuclear share and the introduction of nuclear weapons are essential.
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Japan recently stated on its official website that China’s rapid nuclear expansion necessitates Japan to reconsider its past stance. Japan must raise relevant questions to the US and initiate domestic discussions on this matter.
Conservative politician Sanae Takaichi has advocated for internal discussions within the Liberal Democratic Party and emphasized that reliance on other countries is not sufficient for protecting Japanese citizens.
Former Foreign Minister Yoko Kawaguchi believes that as the only country in the world that has suffered from nuclear atrocities, Japan must be cautious about possessing nuclear weapons.